Florida’s Sheriffs also oppose the concept of the automatic restoration of civil rights. We believe this is not a right that should be automatic, however should be earned. There should be an application process and a mandatory waiting period that would allow sufficient time to assess that the individual applying is in fact living as a law-abiding citizen in his or her community.

FSA President, Sheriff Harrell Reid, today commented on the matter, “We support Attorney General Bondi’s goal of creating a fair process to restore deserving felons’ rights; we appreciate that she is seeking to place the burden of restoring rights on the felon, not on the government. The Florida Sheriffs Association applauds Attorney General Bondi in her efforts to address this issue.”

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The Florida Sheriffs Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation made up of Florida’s Sheriffs, approximately 3,500 business leaders and 100,000 citizens throughout the state. Founded in 1893, FSA has quietly served the citizens of Florida by supporting the needs of the state's law enforcement community. Through the Florida Sheriffs Association, Sheriffs are given a forum to address lawmakers to push for positive changes in Florida’s public safety arena. FSA also provides Sheriffs' Offices much-needed programs such as affordable training, special task forces and legislative and legal services. Dedicated to the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the development of lawful, productive citizens, FSA has established and funded the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches with facilities throughout the state to help restore hope, fulfill dreams, and prepare boys and girls for the future. FSA also developed the Teen Driver Challenge (TDC) program to combat the high crash and fatality rate of teen drivers. Offered at no cost to students, TDC provides drivers with the knowledge and hands-on experience to reduce their chances of being involved in a crash. The Florida Sheriffs Association has grown to be one of the largest and most successful state law enforcement associations in the nation. For more information, visit http://www.flsheriffs.org.

For more information:
Nanette Schimpf, APR
Moore Consulting Group
850-224-0174 work or 850-528-2639 cell